Monday, February 13, 2006

The Lowlights of Quin's Career

By Tiger Fan and Born-a-Tigers

As soon as Quin was fired, we knew this list had to happen. But even as ardent supporters of the anti-Quin movement, we were astonished by how long the list is. I've heard some members of the national media criticize the Mizzou athletic department, saying it did not show loyalty and Quin should have been given more time. The list below shows exactly why this is not an acceptable alternative. To be fair, there were some good memories with Quin too... but as you will see, the bad outweighed the good. It is best for everyone for Mizzou and Quin Snyder to part ways.

1999-2000

2/26: Snyder leads the Tigers into Norman and receives the first of six consecutive losses against the Sooners. The 83-56 loss was a sign of things to come, as Snyder would not be able to beat Oklahoma again until exactly three years later on Feb. 26, 2003.

2000-2001

12/21: Snyder’s first loss to Illinois. By itself, the 86-81 OT loss to the Illini wasn’t bad at all. The fact that it would be the first of six straight losses makes it an unfortunate date in Tiger history.

1/16: The Tigers lose by 21 to KansasState in Manhattan, Kan. It would be the first time we witnessed a signature weakness of Snyder’s teams: the ability to make an opposing player no one has ever heard of look like a superstar. KSU forward Matt Siebrant – whose greatest attribute was that he was able to throw up equally ugly looking shots with either hand – scored 20 points.

3/9: This one isn’t really Quin’s fault, but it was certainly a lowlight of his tenure. With the Tigers leading 65-63 in the waning moments against Oklahoma in the Big XII tourney, OU’s Nolan Johnson went to the line to shoot two free throws. But when Johnson missed his second, T.J. Soyoye dropped the ball out of bounds, giving possession back to the Sooners. OU went on to win 67-65.

2001-2002

12/15: After starting 9-0 and rising to No. 2 in the national polls, Quin’s team manages to lose by 18 points at home to Iowa, whom the Tigers had already beaten earlier that season. (The previous win was in the Guardian’s Classic, the only title Quin ever brought to Columbia). The loss alone would have been bad, but to do it in front of a packed house at the HearnesCenter where fans were literally sitting in the aisles made it even worse. The defeat triggered a 3-game losing streak, with losses to Illinois (again) and DePaul.

2/9: The Tigers lose 81-80 to Baylor on the road, despite getting the ball into the hands of Kareem Rush on the final possession. The loss to the lowly Bears dropped Missouri – remember that No. 2 ranking at 9-0? – out of the Top 25 for the first time that season.

3/23: After a miraculous run to the Elite Eight, the Tigers lose 81-75 to an Oklahoma team they had dominated in Columbia only a month earlier. In the game, the Tigers demonstrate that they are truly coached by Quin as they make only 20 of 34 free throws and 7 of 22 3-pointers. Clarence Gilbert goes 1-for-16 in the game.

4/11: Ricky Clemons is signed to a national letter of intent. In retrospect, no scarier words have ever been spoken by the MU Athletic Department.

5/8: Wesley Stokes leaves the basketball team

5/15: Duane John is dismissed from the basketball team

2002-2003

11/2: The Tigers need a 3-pointer by Rickey Paulding at the buzzer and overtime in order to beat the EA Sports All-Stars in Columbia. We should have known then that this would be a forgettable year…

1/12: Najeeb Echols announces that he will be leaving Mizzou.

1/17: Rickey Clemons is arrested and charged with a felony for allegedly choking his girlfriend.

1/18: Clemons is suspended for the Tigers’ next game – which they lose by 20 points.

1/20: Clemons is reinstated to the Mizzou basketball team.

1/31: Jeffrey Ferguson is suspended for two games

3/16: Snyder’s team only scores 18 points in the first-half of the championship game of the Big XII tourney against OU. Despite a furious second-half rally and a good look for Rickey Paulding with a chance to tie the game as time wound down, the Tigers lost 49-47.

3/22: Snyder manages to waste 36 points from Paulding and 28 points and 18 rebounds from Arthur Johnson as Mizzou makes a second-round exit in the NCAA tournament against Marquette, losing 101-92 in overtime. This loss doesn’t look as bad when you consider what Dwyane Wade has become… but it’s important to note that this was Snyder’s last NCAA tournament game with the Tigers. It also might be of interest that Paulding clearly outplayed Wade that day.

4/9: Snyder and assistant coach Lane Odom are disciplined for making too many calls to Clemons during the recruiting process. Alden suspends Odom from the recruiting trail for five weeks, Quin for three.

4/21: Clemons pleads guilty to reduced charges and he is suspended from the team for one year.

4/25: Mizzou announces the signing of Juco PG Randy Pulley.

7/4: While on work release from his 60-day sentence at Reality House, Clemons attends a party at the home of UM System President Elson Floyd and is injured in an ATV accident.

7/22: Clemons is dismissed from the basketball program

7/31: In depositions, Clemons’ girlfriend alleges that the player received money from Odom and clothing from Snyder.

8/1: Quin admits he might have violated NCAA rules by giving Clemons clothing, but denies the allegations against Odom.

2003-2004

9/23: NCAA informs Mizzou that an official investigation into the allegations has begun.

12/9: The Columbia Tribune reports that recorded jail conversations with Clemons imply that he and other players were given money and told to deny it.

12/30: The Tigers lose to Belmont, 71-67

1/12: Craig Forth continues the Snyder tradition of letting random white guys score a bunch of points as he scores a career-high 18 for Syracuse and the Orangemen beat Mizzou in Columbia 82-68.

2/7: Randy Pulley is dismissed from the basketball team. In his short career at Mizzou, Pulley is most remembered for the night he air-balled a free throw.

3/7: Snyder manages to lose the one game of his career that he absolutely, positively has to win. kU comes into Columbia and wins the last game ever played at the Hearnes Center, 84-82, when David Padgett line-drived a jumper through the basket – and Mizzou’s tournament hopes. Again, Quin found a way to waste a huge game by Johnson, who scored a career-high 37 points.

3/12: Less than a week after the David Padgett disaster, Quin is somehow unable to inspire his team and the Tigers roll over and die in a 94-69 thrashing at the hands of kU.

3/16: After being ranked in the preseason top 5, Quin’s team ends the season with a first-round NIT loss to Michigan.

5/7: NCAA sends a notice of more than 40 allegations to Chancellor Richard Wallace.

5/11: Lane Odom resigns as Mizzou assistant basketball coach

6/19: Assistant head coach Tony Harvey resigns.

2004-2005

11/3: Mizzou and NCAA announce sanctions that include the loss of scholarships for two years and a one-year off-campus recruiting ban

11/19: The Tigers lose at home to Davidson as Matt McKillop – yes, you’ve never heard of him either, have you? – scores a career high 28 points.

11/23: The Tigers lose to Creighton, 78-54

11/24: The Tigers lose to Houston, even though they had beaten Houston by 16 just eight days before.

1/29: Quin’s team loses at home to KSU by 11.

1/31: Mizzou takes an eight-point lead to the half against kU in lawrence. But kU comes out in a 2-3 zone for the second half – which is essentially Quin’s kryptonite – and goes on to defeat the Tigers 73-61.

2/5: Learning from kU the week before, Texas A&M runs the Tigers out of the gym in College Station by playing a 2-3 zone. The final score? 91-63.

3/11: After losing to the Tigers earlier in the season, Kelvin Sampson puts his ego aside and plays a zone against Quin. The result? A 4-point win for the Sooners.

3/15: Quin’s team loses to DePaul at home in the first round of the NIT.

4/22: Jeffrey Ferguson announces that he will transfer from Mizzou

2005-2006

11/14: The Tigers lose their season opener to Sam Houston State, 80-77. This time, Ryan Bright is the scrub that Quin turns into a superhero. Bright finishes with 28 points and the game-winning shot

12/21: The Illini hand Quin and friends the worst loss in Braggin’ Rights history as Illinois wins 82-50. After the game, an enraged Mizzou fan dumps popcorn over Snyder’s head.

1/21-2/7: Quin inexplicably squanders any momentum the team could have had after beating kU by losing six straight games by double digits. The streak includes the worst home loss in 25 years (82-58 to ISU) and a 26-point loss to previously 1-7 Baylor.

2/10: Quin Snyder resigns… or was he fired by Gary Link? That controversy remains to be settled…

Just re-reading this pains me to dredge back up the coke and affair-filled days with Quinn as our head coach. Thanks a lot, jackass! Your coaching still leaves ripples in the water to this day. I hope that BS about you driving a P.O.S. VW around Wilmington, NC and begging for towelboy jobs is true.